Slow Down Enough to Live it, Love it, and Laugh at it!

Menu

Typical MS Symptoms – Early Signs

Before I was diagnosed with MS, I had no idea what was going on with my body. In my left eye, my colour vision was fading and I was light sensitive to the point of constant nausea. I actually went out and bought an eyepatch – and then drew a skull and crossbones on it with a white-out pen. Aaarrr Matie! As long as my eyes were open I had a headache so bad it bought tears to my eyes, and I felt this bizarre pressure, like there was an ice pick tearing into the back of my eye from inside my head. I found out later this is called “Optic Neuritis.” On top of that, I had tremors in both arms and hands – worst in my left. This was happening as I was finishing up my manual drafting class at college, which is all about drawing very neat and specific lines with a pencil and ruler. I couldn’t even keep the ruler still with my left hand. I also had a strange sort of spasticity in my right leg – I’d be walking along, then suddenly my leg would kick out randomly, and I was never sure if it was going to end up where I expected it to be. This is called “Ataxia. ” I was using public transit and walking a lot at the time (and still do). I also started slurring my words slightly, and had trouble concentrating on tasks that were usually very simple for me – called “Cognitive Impairment.”

It was like all these things that I had taken for granted about my body were tired of being ignored, and were all having temper tantrums at once. It was at that point that I started looking at my body as separate from me, and I spent a lot of time asking it what the **** it was doing. My Neurologist told me I was actually having three separate attacks that just happened to overlap. It didn’t make me feel any better about it. Then came the corticosteroids… and I lost some serious time that week. The funny thing about taking 1200mg of steroids in 3 days isn’t what happens during those days – it’s what happens afterwards, as your body is flushing them out. My class apparently went on a field trip the week after my steroid binge, and I went with them. I participated, I asked questions (maybe not as intelligently as normal) and… I have no memory of that field trip. I thought I had dreamed it, and I had to ask my Instructor if I had actually been on a roof that day. I’m just glad there were people around to keep an eye on me! My nurses have since told me that is not a typical response to the steroid, even at that dosage. I’m special, I guess. I sure as heck didn’t imagine it.

I always wondered if there had been warning signs in my past – something that I didn’t know I was supposed to take seriously. After my diagnosis I started researching everything I could think of – early onset symptoms of multiple sclerosis, MS diagnosis, MS causes, disease progression, MS symptoms in women… and came out with a lot more questions than answers. I found out that MS occurs about twice as often in women than men, tends to hit my age group more than others (25 to 45 years,) tends to occur more often in Caucasians then other groups, tends to happen more often to people who live in temperate climates, in developed first-world nations… in other words I fit the profile, but no one seemed to know anything for sure. There is no proven genetic link, but it tends to happen about 20% more often in families having a history of MS. Mine doesn’t. According to Wikipedia MS is “suspected” to be an autoimmune disease, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

Symptoms of MS usually appear in episodic acute periods of worsening (called relapses, exacerbations, bouts, attacks, or “flare-ups”), in a gradually progressive deterioration of neurologic function, or in a combination of both.[6] Multiple sclerosis relapses are often unpredictable, occurring without warning and without obvious inciting factors with a rate rarely above one and a half per year.[1] Some attacks, however, are preceded by common triggers. Relapses occur more frequently during spring and summer.[16] Viral infections such as the common cold, influenza, or gastroenteritis increase the risk of relapse.[1]Stress may also trigger an attack.[17] Pregnancy affects the susceptibility to relapse, with a lower relapse rate at each trimester of gestation. During the first few months after delivery, however, the risk of relapse is increased.[1] Overall, pregnancy does not seem to influence long-term disability. Many potential triggers have been examined and found not to influence MS relapse rates. There is no evidence that vaccination and breast feeding,[1] physical trauma,[18] or Uhthoff’s phenomenon[16] are relapse triggers.

Causes

Most likely MS occurs as a result of some combination of genetic, environmental and infectious factors,[1] and possibly other factors like vascular problems.[19] Epidemiological studies of MS have provided hints on possible causes for the disease. Theories try to combine the known data into plausible explanations, but none has proved definitive.

Genetics

The risk of acquiring MS is higher in relatives of a person with the disease than in the general population, especially in the case of siblings, parents, and children.[4] The disease has an overall familial recurrence rate of 20%.[1] In the case of monozygotic twins, concordance occurs only in about 35% of cases, while it goes down to around 5% in the case of siblings and even lower in half-siblings. This indicates susceptibility is partly polygenically driven.[1][4]

It seems to be more common in some ethnic groups than others.[citation needed]

Environmental factors

Different environmental factors, both of infectious and non infectious origin have been proposed as risk factors for MS. Although some are partly modifiable, only further research—especially clinical trials—will reveal whether their elimination can help prevent MS.[21]

MS is more common in people who live farther from the equator, although many exceptions exist.[1] Decreased sunlight exposure has been linked with a higher risk of MS.[21] Decreased vitamin D production and intake has been the main biological mechanism used to explain the higher risk among those less exposed to sun.[21][22][23]

Severe stress may also be a risk factor although evidence is weak.[21]Smoking has also been shown to be an independent risk factor for developing MS.[22] Association with occupational exposures and toxins—mainly solvents—has been evaluated, but no clear conclusions have been reached.[21]Vaccinations were also considered as causal factors for the disease; however, most studies show no association between MS and vaccines.[21] Several other possible risk factors, such as diet and hormone intake, have been investigated; however, more evidence is needed to confirm or refute their relation with the disease.[22]

Gout occurs less than would statistically be expected in people with MS, and low levels of uric acid have been found in MS patients as compared to normal individuals. This led to the theory that uric acid protects against MS, although its exact importance remains unknown.[24]

Post navigation

8 thoughts on “Typical MS Symptoms – Early Signs”

I have been able to work with weights now that I am in high school, and I want to learn which vitamins and minerals to take. I want to take only natural things and FORGET anything like steroids. No way am I gonna mess myself up. Anybody have any advice?

I’m still learning about supplements myself. And honestly, weightlifting as a teenager isn’t something I know anything about. Do some research, maybe check out Matt Marshall’s site http://www.triedandtruefitness.com (he’s all about putting on muscle naturally) and definitely bring a list to your doctor before you change anything in your diet or regimen. You can still mess yourself up without taking steroids, it just might take a little longer using natural stuff.

When you are new to bodybuilding its very important to educate yourself so you don’t hurt yourself in the gym and dont waste your time. People must remember that nutrition is the most important factor when it comes to bodybuilding. You need to supply your body with the right nutrients to grow. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle, it takes dedication and hard work.

Admiring the hard work you put into your blog and in depth information you offer. It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed material. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.Plano Roofing Pros, 3420 14th Street, #103-C, Plano, TX 75074 – (214) 556-5050

What’s Unhasty about Multiple Sclerosis?

Everything! Unhasty means taking time for deliberate thought. Most of what I've done to simplify my life since my diagnosis has been about slowing down, and giving myself time for deliberate thought and action. My goal is to make time for what I WANT to do rather than what I think I SHOULD be doing.